by Aria Ford
Slowly, I raised myself up. Standing in front of him, I slid my pants off and let them fall into a pile on the floor. I was wearing nothing but a black thong that made Brad growl and reach for me.
“Come here,” he demanded, pulling me to him with force,
He yanked the thong off my body, groping my ass and sucking my nipple between his teeth. I moaned and ran my fingers through his hair, lifting myself to straddle him. His cock was poised just below my pussy, and as I rolled my hips forward, he moaned and pushed me down.
I was soaking wet. His dick slid inside me with no effort. I moved slowly, reveling in this position. His eyes were wide with wonder as I held on to his shoulder and gently rocked my hips back and forth. The motion was slow and sensual, not at all our usual pace. I could tell from the look in his eyes that he didn’t mind. He was clenching my ass so hard that I knew his fingerprints would be left on my skin for days to come.
The thought spurred me forward, making me rock my hips faster and bounce my ass harder against him. He groaned and thrust his hips upward, barreling inside me with force. I gripped his shoulders and took control, riding him with a reckless abandon I’d never felt before.
I threw my head back and let my pleasure take over. My tits bounced against his face, making him grunt with pleasure.
“Fuck, Olivia,” he said roughly.
“Does that feel good?” I asked, pulling myself to whisper in his ear.
His answering growl was all I needed to hear. I threw myself back and rode him harder than ever, lifting my ass up and then throwing it back down. He moaned and growled, groping at my ass and hips with frantic need. His lips searched for my tits, and he kissed me with a hunger I’d never felt before.
I could feel his cock throbbing inside of me, and I knew he was close. My own pleasure was just second away. I slid one hand between us to stroke my clit. His eyes widened as he rammed his hips upward, grunting and panting with desperation.
“I’m so close,” I said breathlessly. “Fuck, I’m going to come.”
“Come for me,” he said roughly. “Let me feel you come, baby.”
I obeyed his order, coming so hard that I screamed out his name and slammed myself against his cock with renewed vigor. He gripped me hard, his orgasm rocking through our bodies. My pussy clenched around his cock while he pulsed inside of me. I moaned and kissed his lips slowly, licking my tongue along his. He kissed me back, panting and groaning against my lips. The way he held me was so full of need that I never wanted him to let me go.
When he did, I groaned and slowly stood up, letting his dripping cock slide out of me. I sighed and stared at it with a satiated smile. He smiled back at me, a dazed look in his eyes.
“You know, I’ve never traded sex for car repairs before, but now that I have, I think I’m going to make it a requirement,” he said.
I laughed. “That good, huh?”
“God yes,” he said.
We both laughed softly while we searched for our clothes. I pulled my pants on slowly, my legs still trembling from the mind-blowing orgasm. When I tucked my breasts away, Brad groaned in protest. I laughed again and rolled my eyes. Once I pulled my shirt over my head, I turned to face Brad. He was almost fully dressed, and I didn’t like it any more than he did.
If I could, I would have stayed there with him all night. Naked and writhing on top of me. Instead, I knew we both had to get going. I’d spent all day working, and so had he. We were exhausted.
“Did you start work with Carla today?” he asked.
“I did,” I said with a smile. “It was amazing. I’ve always wanted to work in a gallery.”
“You never have?” Brad asked, surprised.
“Nope,” I said. “My parents never really approved of me pursuing art. They call it a hobby. It’s not a practical profession, so they dismiss it.”
“That’s bullshit,” Brad said. I smiled at his indignation but shrugged.
“It’s nothing I’m not used to,” I said. “Besides, it doesn’t matter what they think. Working for Carla is going to be amazing, I can already tell.”
“I’m sure,” Brad said.
“Well, I should get going,” I said. “I’m exhausted from today.”
“Sex will do that to you.” Brad grinned.
I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him to me. Kissing him softly, I felt myself sink into him all over again. I pulled away quickly, knowing I wouldn’t have the strength to leave if we kept it up.
“Bye,” I said softly.
Brad waved as I walked around the counter and through the front door. My entire body was filled with energy as I made my way to my hotel. Things were starting to improve. When I first arrived in town, I thought my luck had run out, but now I wondered if it wasn’t the opposite.
After just one day, I already loved working for Carla. She was talented and kind, constantly pushing me to create more work. When there was a lull in customers, she insisted I pull out my sketchbook. We spent the entire day talking about art and nothing else. I’d never felt more inspired in my entire life. When I left, I couldn’t wait to get back.
Then seeing Brad only served to improve my mood. When I walked into his shop, I wasn’t sure what I would say. I knew I still wanted him. God, I wanted him. But I was worried about getting involved with someone when I didn’t know how long I would be in town. Still, being with Brad was worth it. He could rock my world without even trying, and that wasn’t something I was going to give up anytime soon.
As I walked through the door to my hotel room, I smiled. My life wasn’t at all what I thought it would be but I felt at home here. I might have been living in a hotel, working a part-time job for very little pay while trying to pay for the repairs to my damaged car but that was okay. I was beginning to think that staying in Santa Fe wouldn’t be half bad.
Chapter 13
Brad
By the time Friday rolled around, I was done. The entire week had been long and stressful. After dealing with horrible customers all day, I wanted nothing more than to leave the shop behind for the weekend. I was mentally exhausted and physically drained. As I sat down in the office, I sighed and ran my hands over my face. Finally, the week was over, and I could forget about work for a while. My mind turned to Olivia, and I wondered what she was doing tonight.
Without stopping to think, I looked up her cell number in my system and called her. I couldn’t believe it had only been a week since she walked into my shop. This time last Friday, Olivia Storm was nothing more than a stranger. Now she was the woman I couldn’t stop thinking about. No matter how hard I tried, her face swam through my mind a hundred times a day. I couldn’t stop myself from wanting to be with her.
So, I pressed my phone to my ear and listened to the soft ringing. When she finally answered, her voice brought a smile to my face.
“Hello?” she said.
“Olivia?” I asked. “Hey, it’s Brad.”
“Oh!” she said. “Hey!”
I could hear the excitement in her voice.
“How’s your day been?” I asked, leaning back in my chair.
“It’s been great,” she said. “I’m just now getting off work.”
“Me too,” I said with a sigh. “It’s been insane over here.”
“Yeah?” she asked.
“Fucking horrible, actually,” I said.
She laughed. “Sounds like someone needs to have some fun tonight.”
“There’s a bar not too far from your hotel,” I said. “You interested?”
“That depends,” she said. “Does this bar serve food? I’m starving,”
“Yes,” I said. “It does.”
“Then I’m in,” she said.
I grinned. “What time?”
“Well,” I said. “I’m finishing up a few things at the shop, and then I need to head home. So, eight?”
“Perfect,” she said. “I’ll see you then.”
“Bye, Olivia,” I said, feeling lighter than I had in days.<
br />
We hung up, and I sighed deeply, sitting up and running my fingers through my hair. I still felt exhausted, but my energy was renewed at the prospect of seeing Olivia later. In just a couple hours, I would be with my new favorite distraction. All thoughts of work would be driven from my mind, and I couldn’t wait. Grinning, I stood up and spun around to go lock up the garage. When I looked up, I saw Rex standing in front of me. His eyes were locked on my face, a look of understanding on his face.
I knew he’d heard my entire conversation with Olivia. I felt a heavy weight fall inside my stomach. I could see the judgment in Rex’s eyes, and I hated it. I didn’t want to get into this with him, but I didn’t see a way out of it. Rex was the most opinionated person I’d ever met. Now that he knew about me and Olivia, he would have more than a few things to say.
“Seriously?” he asked, walking toward me. “I thought you said nothing was going on between you two?”
“Nothing is,” I said, sighing deeply. “It’s just a casual thing, Rex. Relax.”
“A casual thing with a customer is a big deal,” he said. “What are you thinking?”
“That it’s none of your damn business.” I snapped.
“It is,” Rex said. “I care about you, man. We both know this is a bad idea.”
“Why?” I asked. “Why is it such a bad idea?”
Rex sighed and leaned against my desk. I crossed my arms over my chest and stared at him, waiting for the answer I knew was coming. Rex and I had been friends for years. We bonded over our mutual time in lockup. He was the only person in my life who could understand the places I’d been and the things I’d done. Like me, he spent time behind bars because of his father and like me, he’d sworn to turn his life around once he was released.
I respected Rex more than anyone, and I didn’t want to fight with him. Still, I could feel my anger boiling inside of me as he stared me down.
“Olivia Storm isn’t like us,” he said simply. “She may be slumming it right now, traveling across the country, pursuing her art, but she isn’t like us. She’s from an extremely rich family. Do you even know who the Storms are?”
“No,” I said. “And I don’t care.”
“Well, you should,” Rex said. “They’re one of the most prominent families in New York City. I can’t even tell you how much money this girl has.”
“She doesn’t have any money,” I said defensively. “Her parents cut her off when she left New York.”
“Is that what she told you?” Rex asked.
“That’s the truth,” I said. “She wouldn’t lie about that. I mean, come on, who would?”
“Maybe so,” Rex said. “But that doesn’t mean she’s going to stick around. She’ll stay in town until her car is fixed and then she’ll be gone.”
“So?” I asked, my frustration growing.
“So, then what?” Rex asked. “You’re going to get yourself all involved with this girl and then she’s going to bail. You’ll be hurt and alone. What good is that, Brad?”
“I’ll be just fine,” I said. “I can take care of myself, Rex.”
“So, you keep saying,” Rex said. “But here you are, putting your business in jeopardy for some chick.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” I demanded.
“You’re screwing a client,” Rex said. “That’s not exactly a shining business ad.”
“It’s no one’s business.” I snapped.
“Think about this for a second,” Rex said. “Really think about it.”
“I have,” I said.
“Have you?” Rex’s eyebrows shot up.
I paused. He wasn’t wrong, but I didn’t want to admit that. I didn’t know what I would do when Olivia left town. Already, I felt myself growing attached to her but what could I do about it? It was too late.
“I’m not some sappy little bitch,” I said. “I’m not falling in love with Olivia. When she lives, life will go on.”
“Good, because there’s no hope for this relationship,” Rex said seriously. “You have no future with this girl.”
His words were harsh, but I knew he was coming from a good place. Rex had seen me stumble and fall more times than I could count. He knew how hard I worked to get this shop off the ground. After prison, it wasn’t easy to get work. People turned their noses up at you and looked the other way, ignoring you until you disappeared.
It was an uphill battle for us both. Rex and I struggled together. He was my best friend, and I relied on him more than anyone. He was right about Olivia and me. We came from entirely different worlds, and there wasn’t anything I could do to change that.
Still, that didn’t change my mind. I knew she would leave town and I knew our relationship would inevitably end but so what? Her car was almost finished. Work would be done soon and then she would continue making payments until the bill was paid off. It didn’t hurt to spend a little time with her, especially not if it was only one more night.
“I get it,” I said. “Okay? I get it.”
“I just want you to be careful,” Rex said. “You’ve been through enough shit in your life, man. You don’t need any more trouble.”
“Trust me, I know.” I scoffed.
Rex nodded and slapped my back. He left the shop without another word about Olivia. I thought about calling her up to cancel, but I knew I never would. My day had been total shit, and the only thing that would make it better was seeing her. I locked up the shop, closed out the register, and checked the garages one final time. When I was sure the place was secure, I climbed into my truck and drove toward home.
My conversation with Rex ran through my mind on an endless loop. By the time I got home, I was pissed and in need of a long shower. I got ready for my date with Olivia, trying to calm myself down as I did. Rex brought doubts to the surface that I wished would have stayed buried.
I always knew Olivia would leave Santa Fe the first chance she got. She’d get her car fixed, pay up, and then be gone. I knew that. I’d always known that and yet, hearing it from Rex’s mouth was somehow worse. Knowing that another person was involved, however remotely, made the situation feel more real.
As I got dressed that night, I pushed through my doubts and decided to just have fun. Olivia was hot as hell and insanely fun to be around that. That was what mattered, nothing else.
Chapter 14
Olivia
Brad arrived at my hotel room just before eight. This was the first time we were going out together since we’d had sex and I felt nervous but excited. My week at the gallery had been a long one, and I was eager for a night out. I had fun working for Carla, but she kept me busy, constantly assigned me different tasks or pushing me to complete more sketches and paintings. Already, I’d learned more from her than I ever did from art teachers back home.
I couldn’t wait to tell Brad all about it. The more time we spent together, the more I wanted to be with him. Our relationship had shifted from strictly sexual to something more. I wasn’t sure when or how it changed, but I knew it had. Part of me was scared by the new development, but I decided just to ride it out. We both knew what this was. I wasn’t staying in Santa Fe forever. Eventually, I would leave. Brad and I both knew that getting attached wasn’t an option.
I told myself we were just having fun, finding companionship in each other while we could. He knocked on my hotel room door, and I bounced over, eager to see his face. My tight black dress hugged my curves perfectly, and I was excited to see the effect it would have over him. When I opened the door, I wasn’t disappointed. His blue eyes filled with desire as they trailed over my body. I smiled at him brightly, leaning forward to place a kiss on his lips.
He kissed me back, but it was swift, barely long enough to feel. I frowned slightly and pulled. His eyes were still on me, but his expression was darker than I’d seen it.
“You okay?” I asked.
“Yeah,” he said quickly. “Just tired from the day. You ready to go?”
“Yup.” I smiled and sw
ung my purse over my shoulder.
Stepping out of the room, I pulled the door closed behind us and followed Brad down the stairs. We were walking to the bar since it was close by. Brad wrapped his arm around my waist while we walked, but his silence was deafening. He insisted he was just tired, but I felt a distance between us that hadn’t been there before.
He held me close to his side while we walked, not speaking but also not letting me go. I nestled into him, enjoying the feel of his strong arms wrapped around me. The cool night air whipped across my face and my bare arms, making me shiver. Without a word, Brad slid his arm off me and took off his jacket. He wrapped it around my shoulders and then pulled me back against him. I smiled my thanks but didn’t speak. I didn’t know what to say.
Everything felt so strange. We were almost to the bar, and yet, he had barely spoken to him since he arrived at my door.
“Are you sure you’re all right?” I asked as we walked up to the bar.
“I’m great,” he said, smiling. “Let’s get a table.”
“Sure.” I nodded and followed him forward.
We sat down and quickly ordered some food. I was starving after a long day at the gallery and Brad had a rough day at the shop. We each ordered a beer to go with our dinner and quickly sunk into an easy rhythm. The conversation was light, and soon Brad became himself again. He seemed to lose the tension in his shoulders, and his eyes lightened.
“Need another?” he asked, pointing to my empty beer.
“Sure,” I said with a smile. “But I’ll get it.”
“No,” he said firmly. “It’s on me.”
“Brad,” I began, but he waved me off and hurried toward the bar.
When he came back, he wasn’t alone. A man I recognized from the auto shop was walking by his side. I frowned at the look on Brad’s face, somewhere between annoyed and pissed. The man, Rex, was smiling brightly as he slid into an empty chair at the table.
“Olivia, you remember Rex, don’t you?” Brad asked in a clipped voice.
“Of course.” I smiled. “It’s nice to see you again.”
